This weekend, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo informed Le Parisien that Parisians will get to vote whether or not they need to ban free-floating electrical scooters or not. As I defined final week, Dott, Lime and Tier, the three scooter firms presently working within the metropolis, have working licenses which might be set to run out on March twenty third, 2023. And the destiny of these companies may have huge implications throughout the micromobility sector.
“If Parisians want to own their own scooter, there’s no issue. But we have a real issue with free-floating scooters. It’s not climate-friendly. Employees working for these companies are not properly treated,” Mayor of Paris informed Le Parisien.
“That’s why I’m going to ask a question to Parisians in a vote that is going to take place on Sunday, April 2nd so that I can understand what they want,” she added.
Each operator presently has a fleet of 5,000 electrical scooters. Even although the vote will happen a couple of days after the license expiration, scooter firms will nonetheless be capable of maintain their companies up and operating after March twenty third. The licenses will probably be prolonged till there may be some readability.
The metropolis council is split on electrical scooters. Deputy Mayor David Belliard has been strongly in opposition to these companies. He’s in command of transportation and he’s additionally a inexperienced social gathering member. He’s an necessary ally for Anne Hidalgo, a member of the Socialist Party.
But that doesn’t imply that everybody within the metropolis council desires to ban electrical scooters. The Mayor of Paris finally will get to determine whether or not shared scooters needs to be banned or not. And she has determined that… she’s not going to determine, though she doesn’t like scooters.
“Should we move forward with free-floating scooters or not? During last year’s public hearing with Parisians, it was a polarizing topic — it’s a battle. My idea is that we should stop. But I will respect the vote of the Parisians even if they disagree with what I want,” Hidalgo informed Le Parisien.
So the marketing campaign is on. Dott, Lime and Tier are already lining up their speaking factors. For occasion, in keeping with them, electrical scooters are a inexperienced transportation choice. The actuality is a little more advanced as an electrical scooter is greener than an Uber journey. But Paris additionally has a dense metro community.
According to an Ipsos ballot paid by Dott, Lime and Tier, 40% of individuals residing in Paris are happy with free-floating scooters. 88% of them additionally assume that they’re right here to remain. Let’s see if that opinion will probably be mirrored within the vote outcomes.
Here’s a joined assertion from Dott, Lime and Tier:
“We welcome the choice to seek the advice of Parisians concerning town’s shared e-scooter service, and hope to make sure its continuity over the approaching months.
With greater than 2 million distinctive riders having used the shared e-scooter service this yr alone – and 700 tons of CO2 emissions prevented in 2021 by using inexperienced within the capital – we’re satisfied that Parisians are conscious of the position that zero emission micromobility choices play in serving to meet the ambitions set out within the Paris agreements at COP21.
All the staff of the three operators within the Paris space – 800 in complete, all on fixed-term and everlasting contracts – pay attention to this reprieve. Lime, Dott and Tier will stay attentive concerning the phrases of this session, which appears to state that solely inside metropolis Parisian residents will probably be eligible to vote and people residing in metropolis’s suburbs, in addition to expats and non-native residents who dwell in inside metropolis Paris won’t be eligible to vote.”